Sesshoumaru's Quest
by Nightsailer
Summary: Sesshoumaru has never found the time to love in his life. But when young Rin's mother mysteriously reappears, all that changes. Will Sesshoumaru test his limits to save a mortal?
1. Raene the Lost Beauty

Sesshoumaru has never found the time to love in his life. But when young Rin's mother mysteriously reappears, all that changes. Will Sesshoumaru test his limits to save a mortal?

Sesshoumaru stroked his glossy tail and looked up at the sky. For once he was all alone, Jaken haven gone to spy on Inuyasha. iInuyasha!/i He thought in disgust. iHow I hate him! Again and again I've tried to destroy him, but his fate always eludes me! Darn him! How could father have been so careless? To have a brat like him! And to think he's part mortal. Father even entrusted the little brat with his own tomb! What about me? I'm the pureblood!/i He studied himself in the pond before him. His long moonlight colored locks dangled their ends in the brook and swirled out behind him. His soft tail was curled around his shoulders for warmth on the cold winter night.br

Sesshoumaru irritably flicked a piece of dirt off his handsome face. He sighed and leaned back. Footsteps sounded in the woods nearby. Unworried, he lay perfectly still to see the owner of the unusually loud feet. Rin came out of the forest.br

"Hello Rin," he greeted her. "What did you bring for us to eat?"br

"All I could find was a small storage closet of meat," she said. "I found some bread for myself, so you can have all that was fit to eat." The small girl shivered in the cold. A snowflake drifted out of the sky and landed on her nose.br

"Thank you, Rin." Sesshoumaru took the bundle of meat and tore into it, Rin watching a few feet away. He watched as she took out a piece of crusy bread and nibble at the end. He finished his meal and said, "Come here Rin. We'll rest for tomorrow," and pulled her into his arms to keep the poor girl warm. She was asleep within moments. Sesshoumaru laid listening for danger for a while, then fell into a fitfull sleep of vicious nightmares and little rest.br

The next morning he and Rin woke up to the sound of Jaken's voice. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru! Sir, wake up! Lord Inuyasha and his companions are on the move again. If we're to follow and obtain the Tetsusaiga, we have to get moving!"br

"Need you yell so much? You've upset the girl," Sesshoumaru consoled the crying child. She was just about the only thing he actually cared about. Rin had seemed to be just an annoying obstacle at first, but after you took care of her for a while..."OK, we'll go." He took Rin by the hand and started off.br

"AH! No wait for me Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken hurried to catch up. When he finally came up to Sesshoumaru, the claws were dug into his neck before he could utter a syllable.br

"I don't see Inuyasha here. Are you completely sure he came this way? If not you will die."br

"ACK...Y-Y-Yes! I'm sure!" Sesshoumaru dropped him.br

"I'm just going to make sure," he said. He dropped down on the ground and sniffed for Inuyasha's inmistakable scent. Yes, he had been this way. Then he heard voices coming up behind him. Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin and jumped into the highest tree.br

"...and that's when I pulled the Tetsusaiga out of the rock." Kagome was explaining what had happened during their last encounter with Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru dropped down to a lower branch in hopes of catching some unknown tidbit about the Tetsusaiga.br

"I could have pulled it out," Inuyasha sniffed. "I just didn't feel like it."br

"Sometimes I don't know which is bigger. Inuyasha's biceps, or his ego," Miroku muttered.br

"Definitly his ego," said Shippou.br

Sesshoumaru leaned closer to the action, with Rin under one arm. He didn't even notice she was slipping until she fell from his grasp to the ground.br

"RIN?!" Yelped Inuyasha in surprise. Then a look of anxiety crossed his face. "If SHE'S here, that must mean..."br

Sesshoumaru dropped from the tree and ran toward Rin. But Inuyasha had already scooped up the small screaming girl and put his hand over her mouth. "Give her back, Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru held out his hands. "I'm her fath...I mean..." He faltered as he saw Rin reach out for him too. He felt protective of the child, as if she was his own.br

"Inuyasha! Don't hurt her!" Kagome screamed. "She's just a little--"br

"SHUT UP KAGOME!" He screamed back. "I can finally get rid of my older brother using this stupid girl as a bargaining chip!" He smirked evilly at Sesshoumaru. "I'll exchange her life...for yours."br

Sesshoumaru stood looking unfazed. But in his mind all he could do was wonder what would happen to him. iHave I grown so soft? Why do I care so much about a human child? I owe her nothing. Let Inuyasha kill her if he wants to...no I can't./i "Put her down, Inuyasha, and I shall relinquish my life for hers. Kill me at your leisure, but leave the girl out of it."br

A broad grin crossed Inuyasha's face. He had known all along that he wouldn't have to lay a claw on the girl, because she was the only thing his older brother cared about. Reason being, she was the only one to ever crack that hard outer shell.br

But, unfortunately for him, Kagome hadn't known that.br

"You stupid dog! SIIIIIIIITTTTTT!"br

BAMF! And there was a 3 foot hole in the ground, Inuyasha at the bottom. Kagome walked up to a terrified Rin and scooped her up. She sat the girl on her knee and asked, "So what's your name?"br

When the girl didn't answer, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. For once he didn't jump to taking the Tetsusaiga. iI am majorly confused,/i she thought. iOne minute Sesshoumaru's chasing us around riding a giant demon, and the next he's sitting here quietly. I wonder what caused this big change in him? Was it just.../i She looked down at Rin. i...this girl?/ibr

Miroku had put Sesshoumaru into an armlock to ensure his capture. Shippou was gagging the poor demon. Yet never once did Sesshoumaru struggle against them. But his eyes were on Rin the entire time, making sure they didn't hurt her.br

Kagome looked at Rin again. iCould she be.../i she ventured, iNo! Of course not! She's a full blood human! Sesshoumaru can't be her father. But then WHY does he worry so much about her?! Oh this is so confusing! I wish I knew what to do.../ibr

"Done," Miroku called. Sesshoumaru was gagged and bound with rope. "We should set up camp," he continued. "I don't think we'll be going much further today, dragging that along." He guestured to his captive.br

Kagome let Rin go. The girl ran over to Sesshoumaru and buried her face in his side. "Aren't you worried he'll break the ropes? After all he IS a demon." Kagome asked.br

"No not at all. They're made of something from the shrine back home. Nothing can break through them," Miroku said proudly.br

Later that night they were all gathered around the campfire. Kagome leaned close to Inuyasha, holding his hand. She thought no one could see, but she had forgotten about the captive back in the makeshift shelter.br

iThey sure have come a long way since I last saw them, /ithought Sesshoumaru. iThey were at each other's throats then. Now just look at them. The happy couple, /ihe thought with a sneer. His eyes travelled to Rin, the cause of all this. Usually, if someone (such as Jaken) caused him this much delay in his plans, he would eliminate them immediately. But this girl...she was different.br

Kagome murmered an excuse to go into the shelter and stood up. Once inside, she pulled the door closed, checking quickly to see if someone had noticed. No one had. She sat down on the floor. "Are those too tight?" She pointed to the ropes. After a few moments' silence, she said, "Aren't you going to answer me???"br

Rin tentatively tugged on Kagome's sleeve. "Huh?" Kagome looked at the girl. She pointed shyly to the gag. "Oh." Kagome untied it and threw it aside. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you," she said. "I just felt bad about you having to be in here lying on the floor like this. Are you uncomfortable?"br

"Just a little," he said calmly. "I've been sprawled here since early morning. I am so tired of this! Inuyasha always wins, though this time he really stooped low! I am so ashamed of my weakness. Not of the girl herself, but of my affection toward her."br

Kagome looked helplessly at him. Then she remembered what she had heard in the last village they had stopped through. She had overheard a villager say that there was a woman who had survived a fire looking for her little girl. She had been assumed dead for a long time because she had been lost in the forest for weeks. Now that she was back, the whole village was looking for her lost child. He had mentioned her name, but oh what was it?br

"What's her name?" When Sesshoumaru didn't answer, Kagome sighed and said, "I think I know where her real parents are. Or at least her mother. I just need to know her name!"br

Sesshoumaru looked up at her. "Is this true?"br

"Certainly. I just need to know if she's the right girl."br

"Her name is--"br

"Rin! My name is Rin!" The girl shouted. There was new hope shining in her eyes.br

"Yes! That was it!" Kagome said happily. She looked outside to see what the others were doing. Miroku was telling a story and the others were laughing. Her gaze lingered on Inuyasha for a short moment, then she returned to the task at hand.br

"I'm going to untie you now. Can you get out without being noticed?"br

"Of course."br

"Then here we go." She knelt by Sesshoumaru. Rin tried to help, but she only got in the way, so Kagome had her watch to see if anyone was coming. Knot by knot Kagome pulled the ropes loose. By the time the last knot was undone, Sesshoumaru had picked up Rin and disappeared into the night. "Good luck," Kagome whispered.p

center***/centerp

Sesshoumaru stopped after the 50th mile and set Rin down. They were on the outskirts of the town Kagome had described. But since it was night, he decided to start his search in the morning. iAt least I lost Jaken,/i he thought. Rin took his wrist and examined where the ropes had left deep gashes in it. "You're hurt," she said. She looked at the places where the ropes had cut his ankles too. "Those uncaring people! How could they do such a thing?"br

Sesshoumaru laughed softly. "Don't worry about it Rin. It doesn't even sting. Now go to sleep. We're going to have a heck of a time finding your mother."br

After a few minutes of silence, Rin whispered, "Sesshoumaru? Since my father's dead...could you maybe be my father? My mother would really like you. You're handsome and everything. And I don't want to leave you!"br

That threw Sesshoumaru for a loop. "Rin...I cannot. I am a demon, and your mother is a mortal. It would not..." He was trying to come up with an excuse that would satisfy the young girl. The world didn't need another power hungry half-demon to torture it. He had Inuyasha on his mind.br

"But I'm sure she'd like you!"br

Sesshoumaru didn't answer, just turned over and faked sleep.br

"What is it?"br

"It's got a girl!"br

"It looks like a human. But look at that tail!"br

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes. "AH! IT'S WAKING UP!" The villagers grabbed Rin and ran. "Sesshoumaru!!!!" Rin screamed. "Rin!" He got up and ran after her. When he got to the village, he saw a beautiful woman being brought from one of the houses. He sat down on the ledge to stare. Then he heard Rin's familiar voice say, "Mother!" He looked and saw her leap into the woman's arms.br

i Well, my work here is done. /i But he couldn't bring himself to leave the happy scene. Then, to his surprise, Rin took her mother's arm and pointed to the ledge where he sat. Then she dragged her mother to him.br

"Sesshoumaru! This is my mother!" Her face streamed with tears of joy, as did her mother's.br

"Thank you for protecting my little girl's life, sir." She said in a soft musical voice. She sat down next to him and hugged him tight. Rin smiled and wriggled in between them.br

"You're...not scared?" He asked.br

"Of course not! Even though you're a demon, you still saved my little girl. You're welcome to stay in the village with us. And...I think you'd get to like it...and me," she added shyly.br

iAlright, I am extremely confused. I really have to get going...but I guess a few days here wouldn't hurt./i "Fine, I'll stay. But only for a few days."br

"Great! Come with me. By the way, you can call me Raene." She took him by the hand and led him to the village. Rin took the other hand.br

Once at the village, everyone stared and asked why there was a demon holding hands with the town beauty. The young girls ran up to Rin, and they all ran away laughing together. Sesshoumaru watched them go with a happy smile on his face. Raene sat down on the stoop to her house and beckoned for Sesshoumaru to do the same. When he sat down, she looked at his long moonlight hair. She laughed. "You have tangles all through that beautiful hair of yours! Let me comb it out for you."br

Sesshoumaru turned and let her soft hands coax out all the knots. Then he jumped a little bit when she leaned against him. His heart started to pound and he got up abruptly. She looked at him curiously. "I'm--sorry," he stammered. "I don't know what happened." He sat back down and let her lean on him again. Then, the ineveitable happened.br

"Lord Sesshoumaru! I've been looking everywhere for you! Lord Inuyasha is--" Jaken caught sight of Raene leaning lovingly on Sesshoumaru, her arm snaking around his shoulders. "LORD SESSHOUMARU! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? LORD INUYASHA AND HIS FRIENDS ARE AT THE VILLAGE ENTRANCE AS WE SPEAK!"br

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up. "JAKEN!" He shouted. "What are you doing here? I thought I had gotten rid of you." Then he heard another familiar but not so inviting voice-Inuyasha.br

"SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha exclaimed.br

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru muttered.br

Inuyasha looked at Raene and started laughing. "Awwww, does wittle Sesshoumawu have a girwfweend? How sweeeeeeet."br

"SIT BOY!" Kagome screamed. BAMF! And down he went.br

Raene looked confused. "I've never seen so many demons. That one it the red looks a lot like you, Sesshoumaru."br

"HUH?! ACK!" Sesshoumaru toppled over sideways, causing Raene to fall over backwards. Inuyasha, who was still laying on the ground, laughed his stupid head off. The villagers looked on in confusion. Shippou and Miroku pretended they didn't notice a thing.br

"Sesshoumaru?" Rin walked up. He was laying on his back staring irritably up at the sky. "What on this stupid earth was father thinking? I could have had a normal, pure-blooded brother. But nooooooo of course not! He had to go off and have Inuyasha!"br

Raene sat up and stared at Inuyasha. "You mean he's not full blood? You could've fooled me. Whoa!" She exclaimed as Sesshoumaru picked her and Rin up around the waist and slung them over his shoulders. "I'm not wasting another minute of my time with these losers," he muttered, then ran as fast as he could away from the village.br

A couple miles out of town he stopped and put the two girls down. There was a brook running through the area, so he sat down for a drink. Raene put a hand on his shoulder. "Where are we? I don't think I've ever seen this place before." She sat down next to him to have a drink for herself. Sesshoumaru watched the beautiful form put her slender fingers under the surface of the sparkling blue water. He sat in awe while she drank.br

"I told you you would like her," Rin said. Sesshoumaru sat back indignantly. "I was...checking to see if there was a demon behind that tree. Nothing more." Rin smiled. "Yeah, right."br

Suddenly there was a roar overhead. A crow-demon swooped low. But before Sesshoumaru could even get to his feet, the crow-demon had swooped up Raene in its giant beak. "MOTHER!" Screamed Rin. "Oh, Sesshoumaru, please save her!"br

iThat's no ordinary crow-demon,/i thought Sesshoumaru. iThat's the result of a Shikon Jewel shard!/i "AHH!" Rin screamed as another crow-demon set its sights upon her. It was a whole flock! And all embedded with a jewel shard! "Rin look out!" Sesshoumaru threw himself on top of the small girl, and in turn got slashed by one of the crows' claws. When he looked up, Raene was being carried away.br

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried, her hand stretched out to him.br

"Raene!" He jumped into the air and slashed at the bird with his poison claws, only to barely graze a wing. His speed was greatly altered by the giant cut on his back. He fell back to the earth unconscious.br

"Sesshoumaru!" Rin sprinted as fast as she could toward the fallen demon. She looked up at the crow demons. With Sesshoumaru out of commission, there was only one person she could turn to.pcenter***/centerp

"Inuyasha!" Rin shouted. She struggled under Sesshoumaru's enormous weight. She panted slowly. "Please...help us..."br

Inuyasha snorted. "Why should I help you? Considering who you're carrying, I should just kill you now and get it over with."br

"He doesn't mean it," said Kagome kindly. "He's just a spoiled sport." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Oh my gosh! What happened to Sesshoumaru?"br

"He was trying to save...my mother," answered Rin. She set Sesshoumaru down and buried her head in his hair.br

Miroku stepped over to Sesshoumaru. "Take off his shirt," he said. Inuyasha grudgingly undid the top of the kimono. "Ooh," whispered Kagome. "Oh shut up," muttered Inuyasha. "My chest's better any day."br

The blood poured forth from the giant wound. Inuyasha quickly bound the kimono top tight around Sesshoumaru's chest.br

"Mmm..." Sesshoumaru opened his eyes. "Inu...yasha...Thank you..."br

"Uh, don't mention it," said a surprised Inuyasha. Kagome smiled. The brothers seemed to be getting along at last!br

Miroku saw her grin. "Don't think it will last for long. My guess is as soon as Sesshoumaru heals, he'll be up to his old tricks again. We should keep our guard up."br

"Whatever you say." iI'm still not so sure this won't work out after all,/i she thought happily. Inuyasha was sitting next to his half-brother, and they were talking quietly.br

"Inuyasha..." Said Sesshoumaru. "I'm not saying that I'm giving up my chase of your sword, the Tetsusaiga. But I think we should join forces, or at least for a while. Until my strength returns." He smiled at his half brother.br

Inuyasha stared for a little while, then a grin danced across his face. "You still couldn't take the Tetsusaiga even if you iwere/i well." They both started laughing. Sesshoumaru tried to sit up, but his wounded back kept him on the ground. Inuyasha carefully propped him up against his own shoulder. "Now tell me," Inuyasha said. "What was this woman like? If we're to find her, we must know what to look for." Kagome nodded in agreement.br

"Oh, she is the most intricate woman I've ever met. Her name is Raene. She has splendid thick brown hair, and the deepest blue eyes I've ever seen. In fact, the ionly/i blue eyes I've seen. In the short time I've known her, I have grown attached to her, as I have to Rin. I know it's weakness, but I just don't care anymore!"br

iPoor Sesshoumaru,/i thought Inuyasha. iHe's delirious. Ranting about random things...I'd better shut him up before he blabs something I REALLY don't want to hear./i "So, uh, should we start looking?"br

"Of course. Right away." Sesshoumaru rolled to his feet, staggered, and fell again. Inuyasha caught him under the arms.br

"Careful," he said with a worried look. "Don't hurt yourself any more than you already are."br

Kagome smiled. Though Inuyasha would NEVER admit it, he was already growing attached to his older brother, as were the rest of them. Even Sesshoumaru himself seemed happier. Rin was dancing around their legs happily, ecstatic about Sesshoumaru's recovery. Inuyasha looked down at the girl and couldn't supress a smile of his own. Kagome sighed dreamily. Inuyasha was so handsome...iOh no!/i She thought. iI'm doing it again! But...can I help myself? No matter what I do I can't stop looking at him! I'm not in LOVE with him am I? NO OF COURSE NOT!/i She burst out laughing at herself.br

Everybody stared. "HAHAHAHA...ha...heh...ahem..." Kagome laughed sheepishly.br

"Kagome, you, uh, feeling all right?" Inuyasha asked.br

"Yeah! Just fine!" iNever better,/i she thought to herself.br

"Can we get back to the task at hand?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "Raene might not last much longer. Those were no ordinary crow demons. They were being powered by shards of the Shikon No Tama! But someone was controlling them. But who? And what do they want with Raene????"br

Everyone was silent. "I think," Miroku ventured, "that Naraku was behind this. Does he have anything against you, Sesshoumaru? Have you done anything to make this tyrant turn against you?"br

"Yes," Sesshoumaru said slowly. "I refused to help him obtain Inuyasha's jewel shards. He tried to force me to comply, but I refused. So in order to get back at him, I stole several of the shards from various places. I also figured that I could hold them against you in return for the Tetsusaiga. But now I have no interest in you or your sword, except to do whatever I need to do to help you on your quest. So here," he held out his hand, filled with sparkling shards of the Shikon no Tama.br

Inuyasha and Kagome started. "Thank you," Inuyasha said incredilously. He took them from his brother's open palm. Then a look of determination crossed his face, a look Sesshoumaru knew only too well. "Let's find Raene."centerp***p/center


	2. To Catch a Demon

Sesshoumaru knelt to sniff for Naraku's scent. He wanted to make sure they were going the right way. Inuyasha hovered a small ways behind, watching his elder brother. The cut had been severe, and Inuyasha wasn't taking any chances. Perhaps with luck Sesshoumaru would stay on their side. Inuyasha had never had a single member of the family to care for. "Find it yet?" He asked impatiently.br

"Yes. I just located it. He covered it well," Sesshoumaru commented. He rubbed his nose, trying to get rid of the rancid stench. He sidled over to Inuyasha. "Perhaps we should leave them here. It's far too dangerous for any mortal to tag along."br

Inuyasha surveyed his friends. His gaze lingered on Kagome as he said, "Yeah, we probably should. They wouldn't last two minutes against Naraku."br

Sesshoumaru followed the direction of his gaze. "You really care for her don't you?"br

"NO OF COURSE NOT!" Inuyasha shouted at his brother. His cheeks were flaming red. Even if Sesshoumaru WAS wounded, he shouldn't make stupid comments like that one! "WHAT GAVE YOU THAT CRAZY IDEA YOU FOOL?!"br

"Good God I'm sorry I asked," muttered Sesshoumaru, massaging his ear. "Let's get moving. Go ahead and tell them, Inuyasha."br

iThis isn't going to be easy,/i Inuyasha thought. iEspecially for Kagome. She's always trying to be as tough as I am./i "Guys?" He said. "You're gonna hafta stay here. It's too dangerous."br

To his surprise, no one argued. Kagome walked forward and said, "Um, Inuyasha?"br

"Yes, Kagome?"br

Tears formed in her eyes. "Be really careful. I want you back here alive, ok?"br

Inuyasha grinned. "Count on it," he said. Then Kagome leaned forward and kissed him, right on the lips. He jumped a little, then returned it. He was suddenly conscious of everyone watching him. He quickly ended the kiss and said, "Ok, I'm ready Sesshoumaru."br

When Inuyasha looked, Sesshoumaru was in a daze. A look of pain was plastered on his face. Suddenly the shield of attitude was up again, and he nodded. The brothers set off into the woods.p

"What was wrong back there?" Asked Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru hadn't said a word the entire two hours they'd been walking. When he didn't get a reply, he pressed on. "Come on. There's definitly something bothering you. Tell me."br

Sesshoumaru looked over at Inuyasha. "It's Raene," he said slowly. "I've got this...tense...feeling. Like something's happened to her. I've never felt this way before about anyone. It...worries me."br

Inuyasha nodded knowingly. "Don't be ashamed of feelings toward a girl. You know, being worried about them and their safety makes you stronger. That's why I'm able to use the Tetsusaig-" Inuyasha clamped his hands over his mouth. Even though Sesshoumaru APPEARED to be on his side at the time, there was no telling what he might do. He silently cursed himself for being so foolish.br

"There is no need to worry, Inuyasha. I have lost all interest in the Tetsusaiga. All I am worried about is saving Rin's mother."br

They heard a cry up ahead. "Come on!" Came a voice. "Tell me where Sesshoumaru is!"br

"I swear I have no idea! But even if I did I would never tell you, you monster!" Came a woman's voice.br

"Let's go! That's her voice!" Sesshoumaru ran forwards, Inuyasha close behind.br

"How do you know it's her?" Inuyasha panted.br

"Could you ever mistake Kagome's voice for another?" Sesshoumaru called back.br

"Nope. But then again, there's no voice on this planet that's as annoying as hers." They stopped short. Naraku had Raene by the neck and had one hand poised to take her life.br

"LET HER GO!" Screamed Sesshoumaru. He ran out into plain view.br

"What are you doing?!" Inuyasha hissed. "Are you crazy?!"br

Sesshoumaru didn't answer. Naraku laughed. "I knew you'd show some weakness sooner or later. Now give me the pieces of the Shikon No Tama, or I'll just have to destroy this hideous monstrosity."br

"Ses...shou...maru..." choked Raene. "Help...me..."br

"Let her go, and you'll have your filthy jewel!" Shouted Sesshoumaru.br

Naraku shook his head. "You really think I'm as stupid as that. You complete your end of the bargain, then I'll complete mine."br

Inuyasha stepped out of the bushes. "He doesn't have the pieces, you piece of crap," he said cooly. "I do."br

Naraku's eyes narrowed in recognition. "Inuyasha," he hissed. "So we meet again."br

"I'll distract ugly, you get the girl," muttered Inuyasha. Their identical moonlight colored hair mingled in the wind for a moment, then they both disappeared to complete their tasks.br

"What are you trying to prove?" Naraku asked Inuyasha as he approached. But he knew from experience that when dealing with Inuyasha, you needed both hands free. He set Raene down on a tree limb and ran for Inuyasha.br

"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" Inuyasha's claws glowed bright, then three identical lines of energy escaped from their tips. SSHHIICCKKTTT! Everything in their path was immediately cut to shreds. Unfortunately, Naraku wasn't among the pile of rubble. Inuyasha's eyes darted nervously back and forth. Where was that darned demon?br

"Looking for me?" Naraku exploded out from behind. "HOW SWEET!" He punched Inuyasha, sending him flying to the ground. He bounced once, then jumped to his feet.br

"Man, I'm gonna feel that in the morning," he muttered. He dodged as Naraku came back for a second blow. Where was Sesshoumaru?! They needed to get Raene and leave! Suddenly Naraku had Inuyasha pinned to the ground.br

"Leaving so soon?" He pressed against Inuyasha's neck. "But the party's just getting started!" He raised a clawed hand to deliver the killing blow. 

iThis is it,/i thought Inuyasha vaguely, iI'm done for./ibr

"Let him go!" Sesshoumaru slammed his elbow down hard on Naraku's head. Naraku let out a howl of rage and pain as Sesshoumaru picked up Inuyasha and dragged him away.br

Inuyasha struggled against his older brother. "Let me go! I can walk. I'm not two anymore!" He protested.br

CRACK! "HELP!" Both demons' heads snapped upwards. Raene's branch had broken, and she was dangling from one arm. The end of the branch had jammed straight through her slender hand, cementing her to the spot. Strangely, she didn't let out a cry of pain or anything. Just let her gaze linger pleadingly on Sesshoumaru. But by that time Naraku had gotten back up.br

"You filthy YOUKAIS!" He shrieked. "You are DEAD!"br

"Great here it comes," said Sesshoumaru. He jumped up into the tree, going from branch to branch as easily as one might go up stairs. When he reached the branch holding Raene, he swung Inuyasha over his shoulder and set to work, hastily trying to dislodge her hand.br

Naraku appeared behind them. "Now you die!" He cackled.br

"Sesshoumaru!" Shouted Inuyasha. "You free Raene, and I'll take care of scum-bag here!"br

"Ok. Good luck!"br

Inuyasha jumped on Naraku, and the two demons fell wrestling all the way down. Raene looked up at Sesshoumaru. "I'm so sorry about all this. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be going through all this trouble..."br

Sesshoumaru wasn't listening. The bones were stuck tight, and he couldn't pull the hand loose without breaking the entire hand. He desperately tried to break the branch off, but it kept splintering. Raene whimpered, a sound that tore at Sesshoumaru's heart. Suddenly, Naraku's sword flew through the air and went right through Raene's left shoulder. Her eyes went blank.br

"Mother! No!" Rin was standing admist the fight on the ground below. "Sesshoumaru! What have you done?! You let that evil demon kill my mother!" And with that, Rin fled into the forest, neither knowing or caring whether she was being followed.br

"YOU B******!" Screamed Sesshoumaru. "Look what you've done!" He leaped from the top of the tree to the ground below. Naraku lept and ran from the scene, shouting his revenge over his shoulder.br

Inuyasha flicked his hair out of his face. "Coward," he commented. "Hey, what's the matter? Didn't you save..."br

Sesshoumaru's head was bowed, moonlight hair flowing in waves over his face. His fists were clenched so tight his own claws dug into his palms. Shoulders shaking with rage, he whispered, "Damn you...Naraku...YOU HEAR ME?" He raised his voice suddenly. "DAMN YOU! Look what you've done to me! You've turned me into a sniveling fool, head over heels for a woman who is now dead! Damn...you..." He sunk to his knees, then started beating the ground with his fists. The whole earth seemed to be shake as the demon prince pounded the ground again and again, uttering cries of rage and despair.br

Kagome and the others came out of the forest. "Inuyasha! You're alive!" She ran and hugged him gently, for there was a huge bloodstain covering the front of his kimono. "What's...wrong with your brother?"br

Inuyasha just shook his head and pointed to the tree. Kagome clapped her hands over her mouth in utter horror. Raene hung limp from the highest branch. She looked back at Inuyasha, then to the shuddering demon on the ground before her. Miroku had retrieved the body from the tree and was cradling it in his arms. He gently removed the branch from her slender hand and the sword from her shoulder. He clucked his tongue. "That's a sure loss," he commented. "She would have made a good mother for my child."br

"LECHEROUS PRIEST!" Shouted Kagome. She snatched Raene out of his greedy paws. "Seshoumaru..." she whispered to him.br

He looked up at her. His face was dry, but as she looked closer, she saw glistening drops forming around the edges. But at the sight of Raene, one finally found its way down his cheek; the first tear he had ever shed.br

"Give her...here," he said softly. Kagome handed her over. At first Sesshoumaru just looked at the fallen woman, then he buried his head in her hair. At last he looked up. "There's...no way to bring her back... is there?" He asked. He smoothed a strand of her deep black hair out of her face, one of the only ones to have ever smiled upon him.br

"What about the Tenseiga?" Came Rin's voice. Her face was streamed with tears, but there was faint hope in her eyes as she said, "That's how you brought me back."br

Sesshoumaru jumped up and felt for the Tenseiga, only to find it gone. "WHERE IS IT?" He cried. "It's...gone."br

"Oh no! Naraku took it!" Gasped Rin.br

"Shit," muttered Inuyasha.br

"I know what we could do," said Kagome, slowly. "We could regain the remaining pieces of the Shikon No Tama and wish her back to life!"br

Inuyasha smirked. He could kill two birds with one stone! He could help his brother and become a full blood demon! "Hey Kagome! That's not such a bad idea! Glad I thought of it." He pulled out his shards of the jewel. "How many do you have?"br

Kagome added 9 more shards to the bunch they had. It all added together to make over 3/4s of the jewel. "Naraku must have the rest," said Kagome. "Sesshoumaru! We're going to save Raene!"p


	3. Sesshoumaru's Plight

It was about two hours into the journey to find Naraku. Everyone walked in stony silence. Since it was around 11p.m., the youngsters were asleep in the more capable's arms. Sesshoumaru carried Rin tucked close to his heart. They had left Raene with Kaede back at the shrine. iShe'll be safer there,/i thought Sesshoumaru. Kagome carried a sleeping Shippou on her shoulders.br

"Perhaps we should stop for the night," suggested Miroku. His eyes travelled greedily to Kagome. "I would be honored if Lady Kagome slept by my side."br

"Not a chance, Romeo."br

"That's not a bad idea," agreed Inuyasha. "But Kagome's sleeping as far away from that lecherous priest as she can possibly get!"br

Sesshoumaru settled down with the rest of the group. After a few moments, everyone else was asleep...except him. Rin opened her eyes to see what was wrong.br

"Sessie?" She said, using her pet name for him.br

"Yes."br

"We're gonna save my mother, right?"br

He sighed. "I don't know, Rin. I just don't know."p

Sesshoumaru woke early the next morning, eager to start his quest again. It came as no surprise to him that Kagome had "accidentally" rolled into Inuyasha's embrace during the night. Now their hair mingled together, and their lips grazed lightly. iI wonder if I'll ever get to enjoy that feeling.../i thought Sesshoumaru. He watched as Kagome rolled over so her back was to Inuyasha. His brother just buried his head in her hair and went back to sleep. Sesshoumaru smiled a little, then turned back to where Rin slept. Perhaps a few more hours of sleep wouldn't hurt. He saw Rin shiver and curl up into a ball. He considered for a moment, then slowly sat down and pulled Rin into his lap.br

iHumans are so fragile.../i he thought, as he stroked the girl's soft skin. iRaene.../i "Huh?" The front of his kimono was soaking wet. He looked down. Rin was...leaking. "Rin? Rin! Wake up! You're leaking!" Was it bad? Was she sick? "What's going on?!"br

"Don't worry, Sesshoumaru," said Kagome's groggy voice. "The girl is sad. She misses her mother. HUH?!" Her eyes went wide. Her hands travelled to her waist, where Inuyasha's were lightly resting. He murmered in his sleep and nuzzled the back of her head. "Ahh...ahh! SIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"br

"Wha...? OW!" Bamf! Kagome's cheeks were flaming red. "What do you think you're doing?! You're worse than Miroku!" She frantically straightened out her shirt.br

"What's going on?" Shippou had woken up also.br

"Inu..Inu...!" Kagome was so furious she couldn't speak straight.br

"Nothing, Shippou," Sesshoumaru said calmly. "Kagome was spooked by a demon she saw. But it's all right now."br

"Oh. Ok." Shippou closed his eyes again.br

"What the heck did you do that for?!" Inuyasha screamed. "What did I do?!"br

"YOU WERE SLEEPING WITH YOUR ARMS AROUND ME!" Screamed Kagome. "I know you can't help it, but iplease/i. Try to control youself!"br

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! I HATE YOU, STUPID GIRL!"br

"WELL AT LEAST WE AGREE ON iSOMETHING/i!!!!!!!!!!!" Kagome smacked his face. They got into a huge catfight.br

"Inuyasha! Kagome! Cut it out!" Miroku yelled. He threw his shoe at the squabbling duo. "Save it for Naraku," he mumbled.br

"MAKE US!" They dragged the priest into the mess. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and decided not to get involved. Surprisingly, Shippou slept on. Rin, however, was not as accustomed to extremely loud noises.br

"What's wrong?" She cried. "Is Naraku here? Ahh!" A rock flew through the air toward her. Sesshoumaru turned his back to the fight, shielding Rin from the blow. That did it. He turned around, eyes practically shooting sparks.br

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" He commanded. He kicked the rock back into the fray. When nobody listened, he dove into the middle of the fight. He emerged holding Inuyasha by the hair, Kagome by the arms, and his foot on Miroku's head. "Now is not the time for us to be squabbling with each other. Can we PLEASE focus on the task at hand?"br

Miroku and Kagome mumbled their apologies, and Inuyasha just growled. When Sesshoumaru put them down, they all sat with their backs to each other, silently fuming. "Inuyasha," said Sesshoumaru, "where can we find Naraku?"br

"Just follow the scent of decaying demons and there ya go," he said sarcastically.br

"ANSWER HIM STRAIGHT, YOU FOOL!" Kagome smacked Inuyasha. "As far as I'm concerned, it's easy to see who the better of the brothers is."br

"Thank you for the compliment," said Sesshoumaru impatiently, "but we NEED to find Naraku."br

"BETTER?! I'll show you better!" Inuyasha got up. "Come on Fluffy, you and me. RIGHT NOW!"br

"FLUFFY?!" Screamed Sesshoumaru. "Why you little...Let's do it!" They sprang at each other's throats.br

They tore into each other. Sesshoumaru growled and slashed Inuyasha with his poison claws. Inuyasha yelped in pain, then retaliated with his own claws. It was a claw to claw fight. Sesshoumaru lept into the air, then drew his electric whip. He brandished it gracefully, then wrapped his younger brother in it. He was about to issue the killing blow, when he saw Rin's face. She had tears streaming down her cheeks. "Sessie! Don't kill him! He's your brother!" Sesshoumaru dropped Inuyasha. "Look at yourselves!" Rin sobbed. "I'd do anything to have my family with me again! But you...you don't care what happens to anyone, let alone your own brother!" She ran over to Inuyasha and threw herself in front of him. "Please don't hurt him!"p

iBrother My Brotherbr

Tell me what are we fighting forbr

We've got to end this warbr

We should love one anotherbr

Oh can't we just pretendbr

This war never began?br

We can try, brother my brotherbr

We face each other from different sidesbr

The anger burns can't remember whybr

It's kind of crazy to cause such painbr

Our foolish pride makes us hate this waybr

We watch our world fall apartbr

Tell me what good is winningbr

When we loose our heart?br

Brother My Brotherbr

Tell me what are we fighting forbr

Isn't life worth so much more?br

We should love one anotherbr

Oh can't we just pretendbr

This war never began?br

Tell me why, brother my brotherbr

We can try, brother my brotherbr

Let's take a moment and look deep insidebr

And say we're willing to give love a try!br

Where not as different as we seem to bebr

It's so much more to me then what you seebr

Don't have to be this way!br

Think about the consequencesbr

Turn around and walk away!p/i

Sesshoumaru walked over. "Inuyasha...I am...sorry. Why do we hate each other so much? What happened along the line? I know...Youkais don't usually stay with their families...but what caused us to grow so far apart? Even you with Kagome. You've learned a lesson that I should have learned a long time ago. One can't always fight alone. In order to bring out your full potential, you must learn to care about someone." He sat down next to Inuyasha. He held out his hand over his fallen brother. Inuyasha's eyes fluttered open. "Sesshoumaru! But...I thought you were going to kill me!"br

"I was," he said. "But isn't it a bit stupid to fight like that? I mean, we have to get something much more important done. There are lives depending on us. Besides, we iare/i brothers." He held out a clawed hand. "Can we not fight as one? Even for a little while?"br

Inuyasha stared at Sesshoumaru's outstretched hand. Slowly, he put his own hand into his brother's. "I guess I can put up with you for a little while," he said with a laugh. But in his eyes you could see that he was happy as any.br

Sesshoumaru smiled, but on the inside a debate was raging. This went against all of his well learned training. No one to depend on, no weaknesses. Depend only on yourself. He knew that it was just a matter of time before he became too attached to Inuyasha and the others. Especially Raene. With her, he was in way over his head. Every time he thought of her, there was a tightening in his chest he couldn't explain.br

As if Inuyasha saw exactly what was going through Sesshoumaru's head, he said, "Sesshoumaru, you're doing the right thing. You remind me of myself a while ago. I didn't want anyone to help me. I thought caring would only slow me down. But if it weren't for these guys, I still would have been stuck to that tree." His expression hardened. "But if you ever tell ANYONE I said that, you're dead!"br

Sesshoumaru laughed. He had finally decided what his path was going to be. He was going to stay with his little brother from then on. It was like he had a great weight lifted off his chest. He had a home. Somewhere to belong. People that...well...cared. "Don't worry Inuyasha," he laughed. "I won't tell a soul."br

The brothers smiled at eachother.p


	4. To the Future

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had snuck away from camp that night while the others slept. There were a few things they needed to talk about, and not all was fit for mortal ears. They sat down in an open field.br

"Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha, "I want you to promise to never try and take the Tetsusaiga from me, capiche?"br

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You should know by now, Inuyasha, that I have lost all interest in that sword. My concern lies with Raene and the others. I can tell we're going to be joining forces for quite some time." He looked at the sky. There was no moon.br

"Oh no..." Whispered Inuyasha. His hair was turning dark, and his claws were gone. His wounds from their earlier battle opened anew. Blood gushed out onto the ground.br

"Inuyasha!" Cried Sesshoumaru. "What's happening to you?!"br

"I'm...human...for the night," he said softly. "Please, Sesshoumaru, protect Kagome..." Then Inuyasha fainted. Sesshoumaru tore off his kimono top, the pulled Inuyasha's off too. He ripped it to shreds and tied the wounds tightly. "You'll be ok Inuyasha," he murmured. "And so will Kagome. I'll stake my life on it." He scooped up his brother and walked gracefully back to camp.p

"Oh my gosh! Inuyasha!" Kagome ran over. Sesshoumaru, realizing the situation, carefully placed Inuyasha in her arms. "He'll be all right," he said. "Just some minor wounds. Believe me, he's had worse."br

Kagome stroked his black locks. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "SHOOT!" She screamed, almost dropping Inuyasha. "I have to get back to school! If I don't, I'll have to re-take the entire 9th grade!" She frantically looked around for her things. "Sesshoumaru! You and Inuyasha come with me to my time! It's too dangerous for you to stay here." She lugged Inuyasha out of the room. Sesshoumaru, dumbfounded, followed.p

Kagome stopped at an old, overgrown well. She slung her pack over one shoulder, Inuyasha over the other, and grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm. "COME ON!" She yanked him into the well.br

"What's happening? NO RIN!" He grabbed the small girl just before they all disappeared into Kagome's time.br

"Kagome, is that you dear?"br

"Yes, mother! I hope you don't mind, but I brought a few friends!" Kagome nudged Sesshoumaru, who was holding Rin tight. "Come on. It's ok, we're just in a different time zone. But, um, could you carry Inuyasha? I don't think I'll be able to get him out on my own."br

Sesshoumaru set Rin on his shoulders and picked up Inuyasha. They jumped out of the well. Sesshoumaru was so surprised by the sight that he almost dropped his passengers.br

"No time to gawk, Sesshoumaru! I have to study for tomorrow's social studies exam!" She dragged the dumbfounded demon up the stairs and into her room.br

"Dinner will be ready in a few, honey!" Called her mother.br

"Ok mom, thanks," Kagome sat down at her desk and opened her book. "Just make yourself at home. Inuyasha's not bleeding anymore, so just put him on my bed."br

"Bed? I don't see a bed," Sesshoumaru said, looking around.br

iOops, I forgot,/i thought Kagome. iHe doesn't know anything about modern life./i "That big long pink thing by the wall."br

"Oh." Sesshoumaru deposited Inuyasha on the fluffy pink "bed".br

"Hey Sessie!" Called Rin from across the room. "Look at this thing!" She pushed a button on Kagome's radio. It blared KissFM.br

Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin and sheltered her in his arms. "What kind of demon is it?!" He demanded.br

"Oh, that's no demon," Kagome laughed, "that's my radio!" She got up and turned it off.br

"Kagome! Dinner's ready!"br

"Coming mom!" She grabbed Sesshoumaru by the arm. "Come on, we're going to eat."br

Once they were all seated at the table, Kagome's mother came out with the food. "Macaroni and Cheese, my favorite!" Sota exclaimed. "It's the Spongebob kind, the stuff that turns blue!" Kagome's mother spooned it onto everyone's plate. "Enjoy!" she said. "Ooh, Kagome! What a handsome young man! Is that the Inuyasha person you're always talking about?"br

Kagome stiffened. "No-mother-that's-his-brother, Sesshoumaru." How embarrassing!/i She thought.br

His mother whistled at Sesshoumaru's bare chest. Sesshoumaru, unaccostomed to the attention, stared curiously back. iWhy is she looking at me like that?/i He wondered. Females were very strange creatures.br

"Yummy!" Rin was digging into her food. Sesshoumaru looked on, appalled. "Rin, it's...blue," he said. "Try some!" She held out a noodle. Sesshoumaru gently took it in his fangs and chewed.br

Kagome hid a smile as she watched Sesshoumaru's face light up. He picked up the fork, fumbled with it for a moment, and tried to copy Sota. He ate as quickly as possible, giving some to Rin occasionally.br

Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Inuyasha stumbled into the room. His black hair tumbled in front of his violet eyes. "I'm hungry!" He announced. He tried to move towards the table, but fell. In one swift motion, Sesshoumaru scooped him up and set him in a chair.br

"Look Inuyasha!" Said Rin happily. "Blue food!"br

"Uh..." he looked at Sesshoumaru. "Is it good?"br

"OH YEAH!" He and Rin both reached for the last noodle. "MINE!" They both screamed. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and dug in. His eyes lit up as he savored each noodle. "MMMM...!"br

"I found a good excuse for Kagome!" Kagome's grandpa came into the room waving the newspaper. He tripped over Sesshoumaru's long tail and fell flat on his face. "ACK! What the...?!" He looked slowly around at Sesshoumaru. "AHHH! DEMON!" BAP! He smacked a spell-scroll onto Sesshoumaru's forehead. Inuyasha cracked up.br

"Uhh..." Kagome fell over. "GRAMPA! DON'T DO THAT!" She pulled the scroll off.br

Her grampa was looking at the moon on Sesshoumaru's forehead. "Intriguing..." He ran his finger over the mark.br

"Um, come on guys, we're going to bed!" Kagome dragged Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha out of the room. iThey're so embarrassing! Why can't I have a normal family???/i When she got to her room, she realized; there was only one bed-her own. Sesshoumaru was supporting Inuyasha, who was complaining all the way.br

"Let go of me, Sesshoumaru, I'm FINE!" He struggled.br

"Fine." Sesshoumaru let go, and Inuyasha toppled to the ground. "Feel better now?" Sesshoumaru laughed.br

"Ack..100%," Inuyasha muttered. "Kagome, what's the matter?"br

"I'm trying to decide who gets the bed," she said. "I think Inuyasha should be..cause..." They were all asleep on the floor. "Ehh..." Kagome just about fell over. iOh well.../i She sat down to study.p

iThe next morning.../ibr

Kagome woke up in bed. She had stayed up till late in the night studying. iWhat time is it...?/i She wondered vaguely. iAnd why hasn't my alarm gone off?/i She looked over to see what time it was. "Hey, where'd my alarm go?" Kagome looked down at the ground. Rin was curled up in a ball, and Sesshoumaru had one arm draped protectively over her. Inuyasha however...br

"INUYASHA! YOU BROKE MY ALARM!" He was laying on the scattered pieces of her former alarm.br

"Huh wha...? Oh, this thing? I killed a demon that's all." But Kagome wan't listening. She was pulling on her clothes and running out the door. Sesshoumaru sat up and stretched. "Hey Sesshoumaru," said Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru yawned in response.br

"I want some good meat for breakfast," he said. Inuyasha nodded in agreement and they both headed downstairs.br

"Hey you two," said Kagome's mother. "Where you going?"br

"To get breakfast," answered Sesshoumaru.br

"Um...why are you going outside?"br

"Because that's where the food is?" Guessed Inuyasha.br

"No!" She laughed. "It's right here in the kitchen!"br

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at each other, shrugged, and went in to where Kagome's mom was. "Do you have any deer meat?" Asked Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha licked his lips hungrily.br

Kagome's mother looked confused. "No...don't you want cereal?"br

"What's cereal?" Inquired Rin.br

iOh yeah,/i thought the mother. iThese people are from the past.../i "It's this." She held up a box of Cocoa Puffs.br

"Lemme taste it first, Rin," said Sesshoumaru, reaching for the box. He stuck his hand in and started to pull out dry cereal, but Kagome's mother smacked him on the head. "Use a bowl!" She shouted.br

Sesshoumaru took the bowl from her hands and puzzled over the setup of milk, cereal, bowl, and spoon. Inuyasha watched intently. Sesshoumaru picked up the spoon, and at Kagome's mother's directions, poured milk into the bowl on top of the cereal.br

"Looks mushy," said Rin, wrinkling her nose.br

Sesshoumaru raised the spoon to his lips and took a bite.br

"Well?" Said Inuyasha anxiously. "Is it good?"br

"Yes, it's great!" He took another bite. "Man, this future food is really good." He held a piece out for Rin. "Oh, yes. Mrs. Hiragashi, where does Kagome go during the day?"br

"School, of course."br

Inuyasha dumped a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, spilling them all over the table. Rin scrambled to pick up the chocolate morsels. Sesshoumaru laughed as he watched the small girl stuff her face. She carefully reached up and placed one in Sesshoumaru's mouth.br

"Let's go outside," said Inuyasha. "It's too cooped up in here."br

They all walked outside. Their jaws dropped.br

Skyscrapers towered overhead, and cars zoomed by in every direction. A jet flew overhead. "Whoa," whispered Rin.br

"Wh...where did all the trees go?" Inuyasha gasped. Sesshoumaru walked over to get a drink from the river. "UGH!" He spat it out. "It tastes horrible! What's wrong with this era?!"br

Rin saw a bunch of kids playing over by the river. "Hi!" She ran over.br

"Who are iyou/i?" Said the oldest girl. She looked around 6.br

"My name's Rin! What's yours?"br

The girls laughed. "What kind of name is ithat/i?"br

Rin's smile faded. "What do you mean?"br

"What's your problem?" The girl taunted. "Can't you figure out when you're not wanted?"br

"But I..." Tears were forming in her eyes. "I just wanted to play with you..."br

The girl snorted. "Get lost Pin, or whatever your name is. Unless you want to fight me. You can be in our group if you win."br

Rin looked at the ground. "I don't want to fight you. I see too much violence in my own home...if you can really call it a home. We move around a lot."br

"Oooh is the little baby scared?"br

Rin shook her head violently. "I just don't want to hurt you. Sess...I mean, my father taught me how to fight."br

Sesshoumaru's sharp ears had picked up that last. iHer father?/i He asked himself. He looked where Rin was standing. Day after day, she was becoming more and more like his own pup. He sat back to enjoy the fight while Inuyasha staked out the town.br

"You sure you don't want to come?" Inuyasha asked.br

"Yes. Go ahead, have some fun. Don't interfere with these species it could be hazardous to your health."br

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah sure." Then walked away.br

Sesshoumaru turned back to the brewing fight.br

"Your dad, huh? Well let's see what he taught you!"br

Rin bowed her head. "As you wish. I'll give you the honor of the first hit."br

The girl shrugged. "It's your skin." Then she charged. iWhy isn't she dodging?!/i The girl thought to herself. iUsually all my victims go screaming out of the way!/ibr

Rin stopped her with one finger, then pushed her over backwards. Moving so fast she couldn't be seen, Rin ran around and pinned the girl's arms to the ground. Her fist flew back and she crooked her fingers as she had seen Sesshoumaru do when he was about to issue the killing blow. But right when her hand started its descent, Sesshoumaru got up with lightning speed and grabbed her hand.br

"I don't think modern fights end in death, Rin."br

"Whoa..." said the other girls. The girl Rin had been fighting just stared. She was covered in blood from head to toe. "Is that a tail?" She inquired.br

"Yes, it is."br

"Wow! Will you adopt me?"br

"Huh? Why? Don't you pups have your own families?" families?"br

"No. We're from the local orphanage."br

"A...what?"br

The girls looked at each other. "Where homeless children are kept."br

"Oh."br

"Sesshoumaru RUN! KAGOME'S COMING AND SHE'S NOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT US BEING OUTSIDE!" Inuyasha was bolting down the street. Sesshoumaru scooped up Rin. But before running, he gave her a quick squeeze, tucking her into the warmth of his embrace. Sesshoumaru jumped up onto the nearest building. The orphan girls followed on the ground.br

Back at the shrine, Kagome was yelling at the demon duo. Rin was cowering in Sesshoumaru's arms. After she was done, she grabbed both of them by the ears and dragged them up to her room. She turned off the light and said "EVERYONE GO TO SLEEP!" And they all obeyed.br

Later that night Rin shook Kagome awake. "Look at Sesshoumaru!" She cried in a whisper.br

"Huh?" Kagome looked over.br

"Ra..en..e..." Sesshoumaru murmured. "Come back..."br

"Oh Sesshoumaru..." Kagome reached out and pushed his hair out of his face. "You poor thing..." iI wonder if this is how Inuyasha feels about me...I know it's how I feel about him.../i "Come here Rin. You can sleep with me tonight."br

Rin shook her head and crawled under Sesshoumaru's arm. He unconsciously started running his fingers through her hair, as he had done to comfort her many times in the forest. She immediately felt safe and fell asleep.p

"Try and keep up!" It was the next day. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had taken off from the shrine again. Inuyasha was running as fast as he could, with Sesshoumaru chasing him. They were exploring the city, and having quite a good time.br

"I bet you can't catch one of those fast metallic demons," announced Inuyasha.br

"You're on!" Sesshoumaru ran out in the middle of the road to decide which of the shiny fast-moving demons he would pick off first.br

"Hey jerk! Look oooooooouuuuuuttttt!" From behind, a truck was slamming on its brakes. Sesshoumaru calmly turned around. He reached out and stripped the covering of the vehicle. The truck rammed into the nearest building.br

"Halt!" A policewoman stepped out of a patrol car. She flicked her long black hair out of her face. "What do you think you are doing here?"br

Sesshoumaru turned around. "Is it so wrong to kill a demon?"br

The policewoman laughed. "That's no demon, that's a truck. What century do you live in anyway? You look like something from a Renosance festival."br

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked blankly at each other. What was this woman talking about? "Not this century," said Inuyasha.br

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm going to have to take you two into custody. Please come quietly."br

"Why should we?" Demanded Sesshoumaru.br

"So we can get you some new clothes," the woman said sarcasticly. "Come with me."br

"No."br

"Then I'll have to take you by force." The woman drew her gun, but Sesshoumaru had her in a headlock before she could even get it out of it's sheath. "L...Let me go!" She cried. "How could you have moved so quickly?! It's humanly impossible!"br

"Well, then you have a lot to learn about Youkais." Sesshoumaru said, looking idly at Inuyasha, who nodded.br

"Youkais?! But those are...demons..." She gasped at her own words. Were these two really demons? "Let me go, and I swear I'll leave you alone."br

"Will you show us around? We have a lot to learn about this time."br

"Uh...sure."br

Sesshoumaru dropped the police officer. "What do you call yourself?" He inquired.br

"My name is Kokira Tagashi. If you really wish to learn more about this time, then we definitely need to get you some new clothes." She led them into the nearest clothes store.br

"Try this on. Oh and this. And this. Can you move that fluffy thing? You're going to have to take it off when you try the clothes on. We also need to get you both a haircut-"br

"NO WAY ARE YOU TOUCHING MY HAIR!" Shouted Inuyasha, his arms full of things Kokira wanted him to try on. Sesshoumaru was looking puzzled.br

"I, um, can't take it off. It's part of me."br

Kokira's face turned red. "Oh yes. You're a Youkai. Well, uh, I guess you're gonna have to cut a hole out of the back..."br

A couple minutes later, the Youkai brothers stepped out of the store in brand new clothes. Inuyasha was wearing a white tank top with a leather jacket over top. He was wearing baggy jeans with a chain hanging from the belt loops. Sesshoumaru was wearing a light short sleeve shirt and the same jeans as Inuyasha, only not as baggy. Both wore black shoes with white laces.br

"I don't think I'll ever get used to these shoes," grumbled Inuyasha. He uncomfortably shifted from foot to foot. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, pulling his tail out of a mudhole.br

"You two look fabulous!" Exclaimed Kokira. She brushed Sesshoumaru's bangs out his face. "You have the most beautiful eyes. Are they contacts?" When Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at her curiously, she remembered they were from the past. "Oh yeah. Never mind. Well, it's almost 3 o' clock. I want to be on patrol before the middle school lets out."br

"Middle school?!" Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. His sharp ears could pick up the chime of the final bell. He had heard Kagome complain about it enough to recognize it. "Sesshoumaru we gotta get outta here! If we don't, Kagome will slaughter us. And I don't feel like listening to another one of her lectures. Let's go!"br

"Go where?" Came an annoyed voice from behind them. There was Kagome, with all her school friends. "I don't recall you having an appointment anywhere."br

The brothers jerked around. "We got lost," muttered Inuyasha. But Kagome and her friends weren't listening. They all had gigantic stars in their eyes.br

"Oh Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru! You two look great! Where'd you get the new clothes?" Kagome was dazzled. Their muscle tone showed perfect in the short sleeves, especially Sesshoumaru.br

"Sweet!" Exclaimed her best friend, Kajii. "Girls, I think I found my dance date!"br

"No way! I want the tall one!" Kagome's friend Megume said.br

iOh yeah, the dance! I wonder if Inuyasha would go with me.../i Wondered Kagome. "Hey guys! That's the wrong one...!" Kagome watched in horror as her friends milled around Sesshoumaru.br

Kajii wrapped herself in Sesshoumaru's soft white tail. "I've always wondered what it would be like to date a Youkai!" She sighed dreamily. "Please go to the dance with me!"br

"No go with me!"br

"Me!"br

"What about me?"br

Sesshoumaru sighed and put his head down. iWhat has happened to me? A week ago no one would have dared touch me like that except Rin. Now the priviledge is shared by all?/i Rage built up inside him. His Youkai nature was getting the better of him. No female touched him without his consent. iThe demon lord will not tolerate this!/i "GET OFF OF ME!" He screamed. He jumped up to the top of a lamp post, tail trailing to the ground. The wind picked up at the demon's whim, blowing his long moonlight hair into a swirling streak of white behind him. His clear gold eyes studied the group on the ground.br

iDarn!/i Thought Kagome. iUnlike Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru doesn't have to listen on command! If only.../i She pulled out the string of magic beads Kaede had given her as backup in case Inuyasha's ever broke. She clasped it in her hand, ready to throw it over Sesshoumaru's head. But how could she catch him? "Inuyasha," she whispered.br

"Hmm?"br

"Could you please slip these over your brother's head?" Kagome pressed the beads into his hand.br

"Why?! They badger me enough as it is! How do you think he would put up with it?!"br

iI have to try!/i Thought Kagome. iIf only I could think of a way! His Youkai instincts are taking over. He's going to destroy the whole city!


	5. Sesshoumaru is Tamed

"Inuyasha! Please! He's going to destroy us all!"br

"Why should I care?" Inuyasha flicked his hair over his shoulder.br

"Because I love my time! I don't want it to be destroyed!"br

"Well ya know what? I have no more power over him than you do! What makes you think I can do it?!"br

Kagome's eyes filled with tears. "Because you can do anything," she murmured. She put her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. "Without you I'd be dead a hundred times over! Inuyasha I lo-"br

Inuyasha shoved her off. "Stupid girl! Humans give their feelings away too easily. I hate this time and place! I want to go back where I belong!" He turned away.br

Kagome's sadness turned to anger. "IF YOU DON'T DO IT I'LL PULL SIT ON YOU!" Inuyasha fell down. "SEE?! I'LL DO IT WITH MUCH MORE FORCE IF YOU DON'T PUT THIS ON YOUR BROTHER RIGHT NOW!"br

Inuyasha stood up, looked at Kagome with sheer hatred, and called to Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru! Come here for a second!" He glanced at Kagome with a sad expression. iShe's becoming just like Kikyo. Wanting to control demons at whim.../i Sesshoumaru leaped down from the post. "Kagome! He trusts me!" Inuyasha watched as his older brother sauntered over to him.br

"I don't care! He's a monster!"br

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked.br

Kagome started to say, "Sii...".br

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru!" He cried as he flung the beads over Sesshoumaru's head.br

"SIT!"br

Both demon brothers fell over, Inuyasha landing on Sesshoumaru's side. "Umph! Agh!" Sesshoumaru yelped. Inuyasha, accostomed to the drop, just growled and said, "Sesshoumaru! Are you ok?"br

"Wha...what happened?" Sesshoumaru tried to get up, but he only succeeded in moving slightly. Inuyasha, who was already on his feet, pulled his brother into a sitting position. "Kagome! Why did you make me do it? Couldn't you have gotten one of your friends to do it?!"br

"Simple," said Kagome. "They would have gotten killed, so I had to get you to do it. Nothing personal, Sesshoumaru, but I can't have you running around no strings attached. So come on, we're going back to the shrine."br

"The shrine?" Kokira asked. "You live at the shrine? How cool! Can I come see it?"br

"Uh..."br

"Thanks!" Kokira took one of each of the demons' arms and led them away. Kagome just looked on in shock, then scampered after them yelling "HEY WAIT!"br

Back at the shrine, Sesshoumaru sat under one of the huge oaks in the back thinking. This time era was so different than anything he could've imagined. Kagome and Kokira were on the porch talking quietly. Inuyasha was who knew where. Rin ran out of the house yelling "Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru! Look what I found!"br

He laughed. "What is it, Rin?"br

"There's this really neat thingamabob in the house called a..a...nintendo system! If you press the buttons on the little pad, the thing on the big box picture maker moves! Come see!"br

Sesshoumaru was intrigued. He walked upstairs with Rin to see what the fuss was about.br

From inside the room, there came a S^#%! Then a *Crash*. "Inuyasha. So that's where you went."br

"I CAN'T WIN THIS FRICKIN GAME!" He slammed the controller against the floor again. "HMPH! What good are these skills anyway? What will I have to use them for?!"br

"INUYASHA!" Kagome called. "BAD! SIT!"br

"Crap...BANG!" Both demon brothers fell like a ton of bricks.br

"Hey...there were two crashes! OH MAN, SORRY SESSHOUMARU! I keep forgetting that you're on "sit command" too."br

"Ack-no problem," Sesshoumaru muttered. He hoisted himself to a sitting position and helped Inuyasha up. Since the command was directed at him, he was affected much more heavily than Sesshoumaru. The two brothers left immediately.p

Later on that night, Sesshoumaru was sitting in Kagome's room, listening to Inuyasha's soft breathing. He looked around at what his suroundings had become. iI have to get out of this,/i he thought bitterly. iA Youkai like myself is not meant to be restrained. I need the open and desolate wilderness. Being cramped up in this futuristic world is wasting me away to nothing./i He looked down at Rin who was half-heartedly stroking his long tail. She missed her mother, however short of time she had known her. iWhy do I feel this duty to them?!/i Sesshoumaru raged at himself. His body shook with so much fury Rin jumped and started crying. Against his will, Sesshoumaru's heart wrenched and he tugged the girl close. iI have to get her mother back. For myself as well as Rin. I really have become weak.../ibr

He looked out the window of Kagome's house to the small shed containing the well. Suddenly he knew what he had to do. Being careful not to wake Inuyasha, he picked up Rin and tucked his hand around her mouth. "We're going home," he whispered in her ear. "And we're going to find your mother." And without a sound, he leaped from the room, landing softly on the ground. In one hand, he held the small figure of Rin. In the other, the shards of the Shikon no-tama. He looked back over his shoulder, his hair blowing beautifully in the wind.br

"Goodbye, Inuyasha. May we meet again in battle." Then he swung into the well without a backward glance.p***p

When he hit the bottom of the well, he heard screams searing through the sky above him and demon hisses echoing everywhere. There was a battle! Sesshoumaru's heart beat faster, urging him to join the fray and prove his superiority as the demon lord. His doglike instincts were starting to kick in once again. A wild grin spread across his face. Yes, he could feel the cold killing power coming back to him! The predator had returned. But just as he was about to leap into the fight, Rin tightened her grip on his arm, digging her short fingers into his sleeve. Sesshoumaru fell to his knees, his mind reeling. His heart was hardening and melting at the same time, torn between two worlds.br

"Sesshoumaru! I'm afraid!" Rin clutched his hand close to her heart.br

Sesshoumaru made up his mind quickly. He scooped Rin up and jumped easily to the top of the well. "SILENCE!" He proclaimed. Everything went quiet. He began rapping orders as fast as he could, telling each individual demon what to do and when. He quickly slayed the opposing demons with one slice of his sword, then bounded off through the trees.br

"Sesshoumaru, where's my mother?"br

Sesshoumaru's feet barely grazed the ground he ran so fast. "I don't know, Rin. But I hope we can find her soon," he answered between dodging branches and leaping through trees. iBefore Naraku does something horrible to her.../ibr

Something loomed up in front of him, and he skidded to a halt seconds before he would have crashed into it.br

"Raene?!" He gasped. She smiled at him and ran forward, tears streaming down her face. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms tight around her.br

"I can't believe it's you! Have you come to rescue me from Naraku?"br

"Yes, yes I have!" Sesshoumaru ran his hand along her back, massaging it carefully as not to scratch her with his claws. Her long black hair mingled with his own, and Sesshoumaru sighed happily. His quest was done. "I can take you home now."br

Raene pulled out of his grasp. "It's not that simple," she said softly. When Sesshoumaru looked closer, he saw spider-web thin ropes around her arms and legs.br

"I don't understand," he said. "What are those?" He pointed to the strands.br

"They bind me to Naraku. You see, he too has fallen in love with me. But that's not the only reason he keeps me bound. He's looking for you, Sesshoumaru. He KNOWS you have the shards of the jewel!"br

"MOMMY!" Rin ran up from behind and jumped into Raene's arms. "I thought you were dead!"br

Sesshoumaru jumped at a sudden realization. Raene HAD been killed, by Naraku himself! His original quest had been to bring Raene back to life using the Shikon no-tama. But now things had changed drastically. But before he could ask what had happened, Naraku's voice boomed through the trees.br

"RAENE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"br

"You must go! Take my little girl and go!" Raene shoved Rin into Sesshoumaru's surprised grasp and fled into the trees.br

"Don't go!" But Raene had already disappeared into the underbrush. Rin started sobbing.br

"Mommy...!"br

Sesshoumaru held his breath and pulled the crying child away into the shelter of the forest.br

Sesshoumaru tried to quiet the young girl, but it was no use. She only cried louder. He cradled her head against his chest, while he lined up the blow that would knock her out cold. But before he let his hand swing forth, he leaned down and kissed Rin's small forehead; something he had never done before. "Be brave, Rin. Your mother's counting on you." Then his hand struck, leaving the girl unconscious.br

Sesshoumaru looked around for a place to keep her safe for the moment. He had to go after Raene. Finally, after finding no one place to his liking, he called down a passing demon and told it to keep Rin safe at all costs. The demon's name was Kouga, and Sesshoumaru had known him for some time. He had been in the same league against Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru knew he could trust Kouga with his life.br

"Take her as far away from here as possible. I will come to retrieve her after I have...completed my quest."br

Kouga laughed. "Well, Sesshoumaru. Even the mighty demon lord cannot stand against the tides of affection. I never thought I'd see the day."br

Sesshoumaru started to tell him off, but then reconsidered. "What's the use of fighting, if you have nothing to fight for?" He said softly. "I used to fight for vengeance, just for the thrill of the hunt. But now I see...there can be much more to fighting than that. I must save Raene." Then he walked away, leaving Kouga bewildered behind him.p


	6. Hideki Returns

iI know what I must do,/i Sesshoumaru thought. iNaraku must DIE!/i His eyes burned with a fire never seen before on the demon lord's face. His mouth was twisted into a half smirk, half smile as he ran. He had never felt like this before! He knew that lives were depending on him, but he also knew that he had the power to save them. iI'm coming, Raene./ibr

He gracefully sprang over a tall tree to land on a hillside overlooking his favorite demon lord wannabe, Naraku.br

Naraku was trying to come up behind Raene and put his arms around her, and laughed every time she shoved him away. "Why, Miss Raene, you seem upset. Come here and sit on my lap and tell me all about it."br

"NEVER!" Raene screamed. She stomped away.br

Sesshoumaru looked at Naraku, suddenly furious. Naraku was trying to steal his chosen mate! Sesshoumaru jumped into the clearing and started to walk toward the squabbling pair.br

Suddenly, Raene turned back to Naraku. "I do have one question for you, Naraku."br

"Yes?"br

"Are you really a baboon? Or is that just a mask...?"br

Naraku laughed. A cold, eerie sound that made Sesshoumaru's blood run cold. "Ah, no, silly girl. 'Tis only a costume, used to disguise the body I have stolen. However, you I will show..." He pulled back his baboon-head hood.br

Raene gasped and stumbled back a few steps. "You're...you..."br

"Yes. I stole the body of the weak prince. I never knew his name..." He laughed again.br

Raene stood mesmerized by Naraku's newfound identity. She had been a close friend of the prince, someone she had known since childhood, when he snuck out of the castle for a little fun. He had gotten dreadfully ill before his so called "death". Raene had been close to hysterics with crying. His name had been Hideki. "Is he...still in there somewhere?" She asked tenatively, staring into the face she had known so long.br

Naraku was silent. "Why should I tell you?" He said finally.br

"Because he was my best friend!" She looked straight into his eyes. "If you bring him back for a few minutes...I'll do anything."br

Naraku smirked at this. "Were you in love with him?"br

Raene didn't say anything, just looked away.br

Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks. iIn love?/i He thought. He had heard this phrase before, but he didn't ever really think about it. He knew it had to do with affection toward another being...But as he thought it, he stepped on a fallen branch, making an ear-splitting crack.br

Naraku whirled around and saw the demon lord retreating into the trees. He was about to call out, but he decided against it. Let Sesshoumaru think he had made a clean escape. All the easier to catch him again. Naraku went back to pestering Raene.br

"Did you hear anything?" He asked.br

Raene shook her head. "No. Just the wind. Now answer my question. Will you let me see the real Hideki for a few moments?"br

"Let me think about it." Naraku disappeared into the trees, close to where Sesshoumaru had been just seconds before. iI'll find him,/i he thought with a smirk. iHe won't know what hit him./i Naraku stepped lightly, making no noise at all. His smile was cool and confident. He knew he had the upper hand.br

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was sitting up in the top of a tall tree watching Raene stand with her back to him. His eyes lingered there, with no where else to go. There was someone else for her. She loved Prince Hideki. iWhy do I care?/i He tried to convince himself that she was nothing. But every time he tried to rip his gaze away from the slender figure standing in the clearing, they just wandered back to her. He felt the need to protect her, like he protected Rin. But somehow it was different...every time he thought of her his heart did a crazy dance and his stomach tied itself in knots. Then he did something crazy; something no proper demon would ever consider.br

He leaped down from the tree.br

"Sesshoumaru!" Shouted Raene. She ran forward and flung her arms around his shoulders. Then in a lower voice, she murmered "Why did you come? It's dangerous!"br

Sesshoumaru was silent, and didn't return the embrace. Raene stepped back and looked at him strangely. "Are you alright?" She asked. iIs he angry with me?/i She thought to herself. But his face was soft, a small smile forming on his lips. Between his fingers he held the shards of the Shikon no-Tama. With that same hand he reached out and took Raene's.br

"Does Prince Hideki mean all that much to you?" He asked quietly. Raene started, amazed that the demon lord had heard her conversation with Naraku. She nodded slowly. "All right then," sighed Sesshoumaru. He let his hand fall back to his side. "I'll get him back for you."br

Raene looked excited. "How?" She asked eagerly.br

"The Shikon no-Tama can grant anything your heart desires. I will do anything in my power to get Prince Hideki back."br

Raene saw the sadness in Sesshoumaru's eyes. She remembered the day she had sat beside him by the stream. She remembered leaning on his shoulder, the soft scent of the wildflowers lingering near her nose. But then...Hideki...p

iFlashback: 5 years earlier./ip

"Raene! Come out, I have something to show you!" Hideki was standing under her window, a grin dancing around his face. The 19-year-old prince waved to her. They were planning on going to see the travelling performers later that day.br

"Coming!" She shouted. She ran the brush through her thick black hair one more time and smiled into the looking glass of silver. Then she ran downstairs.br

Hideki was sitting on the porch outside. He looked up when she came out and held out a dazzling bunch of flowers. "For you," he said proudly. "I took them from the royal garden. My maid was appalled. 'Prince Hideki! What do you think you're doing?! Those were your late mother's best flowers!'" Hideki laughed at his own impression. Raene brought the flowers up to her face and breathed deeply. "Thank you," she said shyly. Hideki got up and bowed his imperial best.br

Raene laughed. "I see you've been working on that. You didn't stumble once."br

Hideki made a face and jumped over the narrow fence. Raene followed after putting the flowers in her best vase, a beautiful hand-crafted piece of china her mother had bought for her.br

But Hideki had stopped and was leaning against a tree. "Is something wrong?" Raene put her hand on his shoulder. "Are you sick?"br

Hideki looked back at her, his mouth turned up in a weak smile. "I'm fine...I just haven't been feeling all that well lately. The maid says it has to do with the spider demons all around the house...we're calling the best exterminators in the land to come and get rid of them. You know, Sango, Kohaku and the others. Meanwhile, a strange man has been hanging around taking care of me. His name's Naraku."p

iNaraku...Naraku...Naraku.../ip

i(End Flashback)/ip

"So it was Naraku all along," Raene whispered to herself. iHe was the one who did it! He brought Hideki all the way down to his weakest state so he could steal his body and have complete control! And while this was happening, we all just thought Naraku was another one of the doctors taking CARE of him.../ibr

"What?" Sesshoumaru looked at the human.br

Raene started. "Oh nothing. Just...talking to myself."br

Suddenly a sword flew out of the woods straight at Sesshoumaru's back. Sesshoumaru whirled around and caught it just before it struck. "What the hell?!"br

He heard that eerie laugh again. "So we meet again, Sesshoumaru. I knew you'd be back. A weak demon like you can't stand to see their mates hurt, now can they?"br

"Take that back!" Sesshoumaru hissed. He flexed his claws and pretended to throw the sword away, but really hid it in his belt.br

Naraku laughed and spit on Sesshoumaru's cheek. "Over my dead body."br

Sesshoumaru charged at Naraku with a yell that shook the forest. Raene fell to her knees, her hands clutched over her ears. Naraku disappeared, making Sesshoumaru's outstretched claws bury themselves in the tree behind him. Sesshoumaru yanked his claws out of the tree. Poison dripped from the tips, burning the leaves beneath him to ash. His eyes flashed, then he was gone.br

"Wha...COWARD!" Naraku twisted this way and that, his eyes darting, searching for the demon lord. "COME OUT THIS INSTANT!" He bellowed.br

"You are so foolish."br

Naraku whirled around to find himself face to face with the demon lord. He took a couple steps back.br

Sesshoumaru hadn't moved. "You always run until you know you can win. A true demon would fight his own battles without running or hiding. You are no respectable demon, Oni-Gumo."br

Naraku smirked. "Ah, but I am no longer Oni-Gumo. He was a human...I am not. I decided to take the road...the road of IMMORTALITY!" Naraku's voice rose. "How can a human soul compare that of a demon?! Especially when their weak bodies give up! You don't know what it's like to be human and have no...power...whatsoever!" Naraku slammed his fist down into the dirt.br

"I do."br

"Huh?" Both demons whipped around. Raene was standing there, her hand clasped over her heart.br

"I do. I AM a human. It's not so bad...Hideki never thought so...no matter HOW weak he became...Oh Hideki!" Raene ran over to Naraku and buried her head in his chest. "I wish you would come back..." she murmered softly.br

Sesshoumaru was stricken. "Raene...he's not Hideki anymore," he choked out.br

But Naraku's eyes had changed. They had become...softer somehow. And beside him stood a man, wrapped in bandages. "iI shall return,/i" it hissed. Then it disappeared into the wind.br

"Was that...Oni-Gumo?" Raene wondered.br

"Yes, Raene. It was. Or what he has become."br

"...Hideki...! OH MY GOSH!" Raene hugged him tight. The newly released Hideki stroked her long black locks while Raene cried and held him close.br

Sesshoumaru could only stand back and watch in horror. His mate...lost to another? But that was unheard of! Once a youkai chose his mate, it was complete instantly. The female would stay with them until they died.br

iI AM a human./ibr

Those words echoed through Sesshoumaru's mind. He watched as Raene cried and cried into Hideki's shoulder. "Hideki, I'm so glad you came back." Raene said.br

Hideki didn't say anything, just held her tight.br

iWell, there's nothing left for me here. I'll get Rin and be on my way.../i Sesshoumaru started to walk out of the clearing. But a hand on his arm stopped him.br

"Sesshoumaru, wait. I want you to meet Hideki."br

Sesshoumaru pulled his arm away. "I have no reason to," he said without looking at her. "I'm going to get Rin from Kouga and be on my way."br

"But Sesshoumaru...Rin's MY daughter. And why do you have to move on so soon?" Raene ran her fingers through his glossy white hair.br

"Because you are in love with Hideki." The words stung his heart like no sword could ever do.br

Raene started laughing. She laughed so hard she couldn't stop. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!" Sesshoumaru demanded. He wasn't used to being laughed at.br

"You are!" Raene gasped. "Hideki is already married with a daughter of his iown!/i" Sesshoumaru sat there with a blank look on his face. "But you still love him."br

"No! I love him as a friend!"br

They heard little footsteps coming up behind them. They turned to look. A little girl dressed completely in white was running out of the woods. Her long white hair flowed in the afternoon breeze. "Father!" She cried. She jumped into Hideki's arms. She was followed by a young woman with her hair pulled up in a loose bun. She came over and softly kissed Hideki.br

"The little girl's name is Kanna, and his wife's name is Kagura," Raene explained.br

Sesshoumaru was silent for a long time. Then slowly, he said, "But Rin must have had a father."br

Raene's smile faded and her eyes filled with tears. "Yes," she said quietly. "She did."p

iRin's father was a hunter...a common one. But one day he set out for a bit of sport. He and his friends were out in the woods hunting deer. Then all of a sudden they were ambushed by a herd of wolves. They managed to kill them all. But later on a wolf demon came to our village to avenge his fallen comrades. He burned the town to ashes and killed everyone there. Except for my daughter and I, every person perished. Including my husband, Takeo./ip

Raene had buried her head in her hands and was sobbing uncontrollably. Hideki came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. But it wasn't him she grabbed.br

It was Sesshoumaru.br

Sesshomaru jumped as Raene put her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist, tightly grasping just above the base of his tail. He looked quickly at Hideki, trying to hint that he needed advice. Hideki looked confused, then he grabbed Kagura and demonstrated what to do.br Sesshoumaru made a disgusted noise. iHumans show affection very oddly.../i He thought. What proper creature touched so much? Why put your lips to another's? It was totally pointless. He decided to show his affection in the demon style.br

He ran a claw along her neck.br

"Ouch!" Raene yelped. "What did you do that for?!" She jumped backwards and looked at him. A line of blood ran down her neck.br

Sesshoumaru stared at her. What he had done was desired by every female youkai. It showed them that the demon who had issued the cut cared enough about the other that they wouldn't hurt them. He sighed. "How do you HUMANS show affection then?"br

Raene blinked. He had been trying to show AFFECTION? iI'm scared to find out how youkais show HATE.../i "Like this." She gestured for Hideki, Kanna, and Kagura to move away. They disappeared into the trees. Raene leaned forward and kissed Sesshoumaru's lips. To her surprise, they weren't rough and dry, but soft. She slid her arms around his back and tugged him close. Sesshoumaru tried to back up, but he tripped and fell to the ground. His heart was hammering harder than in any battle. Raene was on top of him, her lips still pressed to his. The demon lord was paralyzed. Raene played her hands through his long white hair, which was spread out on the ground behind him. Sesshoumaru didn't dare throw her off for fear of harming her fragile human body. This was crazy! Yet he couldn't stop her. For once in his life, the demon lord was completely and utterly powerless.br

Then a voice rang out through the trees. "So Sesshoumaru, I see you finally went soft." Kouga!br

Sesshoumaru sat bolt upright, Raene still sitting astride him. The wolf demon was sitting in a tree laughing at the spectacle. Rin was trying to clamber up behind him, but she lost her footing and grabbed onto Kouga's tail for support. "OWWWWWWWWWWW!" Kouga's eyes went wide and he toppled from the tree. Rin stared wide eyed at the wolf demon who lay sprawled on the ground. "...Oops..." She dropped down to the ground. "Mr. Kouga sir are you ok?"br

Raene ran over and hugged Rin. But Rin just wriggled out of her grasp. "Sessie!" She ran over to and flung her little arms around his neck. Then she backed up and looked at him with a serious look on her face. "Why were you making out with my mom?"br

Sesshoumaru looked at her blankly. "What does making out mean?"br

But Rin didn't answer. She was just jumping around in circles yelling "I'm gonna have a daddy I'm gonna have a daddy!" Sesshoumaru got up. Perhaps being a human's mate wouldn't be so bad after all.


End file.
